Experience and engagement of general practitioners towards recommended vaccines in Pleven, Bulgaria

Abstract Introduction According to the regulation of Ministry of Healthcare in the Republic of Bulgaria, application of recommended vaccines is carried out at patient's request and for a fee. In this context, one of the main functions of general practitioners (GPs) within outpatient primary healthcare is implementation of health prevention, including providing of immunisations. The aim of this survey is to assess the impact of the personal experience and engagement of general practitioners on the application and promotion of recommended vaccines in Pleven region, Bulgaria. Materials and methods In 2024 a survey was conducted at Pleven district among 82 general practitioners randomly selected out of the total number of 176 for the region. Data was collected by semi-structured interview and statistically analysed via SPSS Statistics v.26. Results Analysis of the results showed high vaccination coverage with recommended vaccines among general practitioners - 91,5% (75) and high activity in recommendation of recommended vaccines (97,6%). Among unvaccinated doctors (7 individuals) a significantly lower inclination to recommending vaccines was observed (6,1%). Statistical analysis confirms a significant correlation between vaccinations of doctors and their willingness to recommend immunisations (χ2=21.964, df = 1, p < 0.001, Cramer's V = 0.518). Higher immunization coverage correlates with more frequent prophylactic examinations in both patients under 18 years of age (χ²=12.171, df = 3, Sig.=0.007, Cramer's V = 0.385) and those over 18 years of age (χ²=18.366, df = 3, Sig.=0.000, Cramer's V = 0.473). Conclusions The current survey highlights the significant impact of personal experience with recommended vaccines on the professional behaviour of general practitioners. This necessitates the need to increase the awareness and personal commitment towards vaccination among medical professionals as a key factor in improving the vaccination coverage of the population. Key messages • Improving the access to vaccines – Providing easier access to recommended vaccines for medical staff, including possibility for a free and subsidised vaccination. • Monitoring and assessment of vaccination practices – Implementing mechanisms for tracking the vaccination coverage among medical professionals and identifying the barriers to their vaccination.